Process for improving the adhesion of a tire to dry ground

Abstract

A process for improving the adhesion of a tire cover to dry ground includes providing a tire cover having a tread comprised of an electrically insulating material which is delimited radially by inner and outer faces and laterally by two lateral faces connecting between them the radially inner and outer faces of the tread, and further providing at least one circumferentially extending conductive layer which substantially connects the lateral faces to one another, the conductive layer having a resistivity less than that of the insulating material, which insulating material is provided radially on either side of the conductive layer in the tread.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for improving the adhesion of a tire cover to dry ground, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a tread cover having a tread comprised of an electrically insulating material having radially inner and outer faces interconnected by two lateral faces; and    (b) providing in said tread at least one circumferentially extending conductive layer which substantially connects the lateral faces to one another, the conductive layer having a resistivity less than that of said insulating material and having said insulating material provided on either radial side thereof.    
     
     
         2 . A process for improving the adhesion on dry ground according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one conductive layer substantially connects the lateral faces to one another such that it is interrupted at a location opposite at least one of the lateral faces.  
     
     
         3 . A process for improving the adhesion on dry ground according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one conductive layer substantially connects the lateral faces to one another such that it is interrupted at least at one location opposite the radially inner and outer faces.  
     
     
         4 . A process for improving the adhesion on dry ground according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one conductive layer is substantially parallel to the outer face.  
     
     
         5 . A process for improving the adhesion on dry ground according to  claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises providing a single conductive layer at a spacing from one of the inner and outer faces which is greater than or equal to a quarter of the thickness of the tread.  
     
     
         6 . A process for improving the adhesion on dry ground according to  claim 5 , wherein said spacing is equal to half the thickness of the tread.  
     
     
         7 . A process for improving the adhesion on dry ground according to  claim 1 , wherein the resistivity of said at least one conductive layer is provided to be less than or equal to 10 8  Ω.cm, and the resistivity of said insulating material is provided to be greater than or equal to 10 8  Ω.cm.  
     
     
         8 . A process for improving the adhesion on dry ground according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing at least one conductive film on the tread so as to electrically connect the inner and outer faces to one another.  
     
     
         9 . A process for improving the adhesion on dry ground according to  claim 8 , wherein two conductive films are respectively provided at the locations of the lateral faces.  
     
     
         10 . A process for improving the adhesion on dry ground according to  claim 9 , wherein said two films are extended respectively over the outer face by two electrically conductive, circumferential and peripheral bands.  
     
     
         11 . A process for improving the adhesion on dry ground according to  claim 8 , wherein said at least one electrically conductive film which connects the inner and outer faces to one another is located between the lateral faces.  
     
     
         12 . A process for improving the adhesion on dry ground according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of providing at least one inner conductive strip connecting said at least one outer conductive layer to the radially inner face and at least one outer conductive strip connecting said at least one conductive layer to the radially outer face.